Kingdom Principles

Kingdom Principles

This is why Simon Peter could not recognize Jesus as the Messiah except by divine revelation. This clash of systems is vividly illustrated by an encounter Jesus had one day with a rich young man who was interested in getting into the Kingdom. As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to Him and fell on his knees before Him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testi mony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” He said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:17-23). Once we get into the Kingdom and start functioning properly, we inevitably become prosperous. Prosperity is a natural product of Kingdom living. But we must live by the standards of the Kingdom in order to prosper in the Kingdom. This rich young man had problems with Jesus’ conditions because they ran counter to everything he had ever heard and believed about success and prosperity. He simply was not prepared for the counterintuitive command of Jesus to part with everything that he thought made him “somebody.” This is why Jesus said that it is hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God. The keys, the principles, the systems of the Kingdom are opposite to those of the world, from where they acquired their wealth.

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